This week marks a new beginning for the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis as it welcomed four large cruise ships simultaneously at Port Zante, for the first time ever.

On Monday, Prime Minister Timothy Harris and other high-ranking officials surprised the combined 12,000 guests by greeting them upon arrival. The government doubled the port's capacity by building a second cruise pier using funds from the country's successful Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme.

Though only partially handed over, having a second pier meant that the small island could already accommodate Seabourn Odyssey and Celebrity Summit beside Anthem of the Seas and Britannia. More visitors means that more money is being spent in nearby restaurants and attractions, while tour operators could increase the scale and scope of their services.

This means more jobs, better wages, higher profit margins and more development opportunities, individually and nationally. In essence, the second cruise pier represents a new economic milestone for the dreamy Caribbean islands.

"This is a tremendous achievement for us," commented Racquel Brown, CEO of the St Kitts Tourism Authority. Tourism Minister Lindsay Grant said that the second pier is "a great facility, it costs a lot of money and we expect to see millions coming to our shores on an annual basis."

The twin islands that form one country – St Kitts and Nevis – are aiming high in the 2020 cruise season and beyond. As the only open cruise port in the Caribbean, it expects to continue achieving and exceeding the 1-million cruise passengers mark per cruise season. Last week, Caribbean Journal called it the Cruise Destination of the Year in the Caribbean Travel Awards 2020.

St Kitts and Nevis's economy is developing at a healthy pace and foreign investors have an important part to play in the country's development. Since 1984, the country has been offering select global families and individuals the chance to become its citizens in exchange for an economic contribution.

Today, applicants who successfully pass all due diligence checks and contribute a minimum US$150,000 to the Sustainable Growth Fund, may join St Kitts and Nevis's journey to economic prosperity. CBI funds make up a fifth of the country's GDP and sponsor various social and economic developments for the benefit of the local population.